[Changes in academic motivation among elementary and junior high school students]
Takuma Nishimura1, Shigeo Sakurai
1Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan. tnishimu@human.tsukuba.ac.jp
Shinrigaku Kenkyu : the Japanese Journal of Psychology
|March 29, 2013
Summary
Academic motivation shifts during the school transition. Autonomous motivation declines while controlled motivation rises in students moving from elementary to junior high school.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
Context:
- Academic motivation is crucial for student engagement and achievement.
- Transitioning from elementary to junior high school presents unique challenges to student motivation.
Purpose:
- To investigate changes in autonomous and controlled academic motivation during the elementary to junior high school transition.
- To compare findings with previous research in Western cultures.
Summary:
- A cross-sectional study of 1,572 students (5th-9th grade) and a longitudinal study of 128 students examined academic motivation.
- Results indicated a decrease in autonomous motivation and an increase in controlled motivation as students transitioned.
- This contrasts with Western studies showing a general decline in both motivation types.
Impact:
- Highlights a distinct pattern of motivational change in the studied population.
- Informs educational interventions aimed at supporting student motivation during school transitions.
- Contributes to cross-cultural understanding of academic motivation development.
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